Practical writing tips for young authors

Character Interview: Griffyn Yarrow

Griffyn is a character from The Shadow Raven, a member of the royal council due to his position as captain of the army’s archers. That’s pretty much all I know about him at this point (unfortunately), but here goes his interview.

Griffyn: *shakes the interviewer’s hand before taking a seat across from him* Hello.

Interviewer: Hello. How are you today?

Griffyn: I’m doing okay. How are you?

Interviewer: Just fine. Shall we get started?

Griffyn: *nods*

Interviewer: What is your name?

Griffyn: Griffyn Warner Yarrow.

Interviewer: How old are you?

Griffyn: Nineteen.

Interviewer: And I understand you’re captain of the Roenoran archers? How did you get the position so young?

Griffyn: I was in the middle of my class at the military academy, and I mean exactly in the middle, and I was really just coasting by. I knew I wasn’t doing my best, but I was content to be good enough. My family was familiar with the royal family, and Alleyn would often watch the military training personally. To enjoy a bit of nostalgia, I guess, since he’d been a soldier before he became king. He saw me practicing and realized I wasn’t doing as well as I could and encouraged me to do better. I rose through the ranks fairly quickly – not to the top or anything, just out of the middle and much nearer the top – and apparently Alleyn admired my ability to grow when pushed, so he made me captain over the archers and had Emric Caden train me personally from then on.

Interviewer: Who’s Emric Caden?

Griffyn: The best archer Roenor has ever known. He’s retired from the military, now, but he’s still an excellent archer and an excellent teacher.

Interviewer: What’s your favorite part about training with him?

Griffyn: Besides having the opportunity to train with the best? *chuckles* I don’t know. Probably the way he pushes me to always do better.

Interviewer: He does sound like a good teacher. *glances briefly at question list* Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Griffyn: It depends on who I’m with, but I think extrovert.

Interviewer: Do you have a favorite food?

Griffyn: Potatoes in gravy.

Interviewer: A favorite color?

Griffyn: Ash brown.

Interviewer: Do you have a favorite book?

Griffyn: Skandain’s Pride by Morena Eren, I think. It’s interesting seeing the stories that have sprung up about faeries since they disappeared.

Interviewer: Do you have a favorite animal?

Griffyn: Dogs. Closely followed by falcons.

Interviewer: What are your hobbies?

Griffyn: When I’m not practicing archery I’m generally hanging out with Arden Alameda – one of the two cavalry captains – or reading, or hawking. Emric got into falconry after retiring and I’ve picked up quite a bit from him.

Interviewer: We’re nearing the end. Which of these is most important to you: Kindness, intelligence, or bravery?

Griffyn: Bravery, but they’re all close.

Interviewer: And honesty or selflessness?

Griffyn: Selflessness, but that’s another tough one.

Interviewer: What’s something you can’t leave home without?

Griffyn: The compass locket my sister gave me. She’s seven years younger than me, and for my eleventh birthday she very carefully picked it out. I guess she’d seen my dad put a lock of my mom’s hair in his watch, because she cut her own hair to put it into the locket. *laughs* I’ve kept the locket with me ever since.

Interviewer: What’s her name?

Griffyn: Edlyn. *smiles*

Interviewer: That’s beautiful. *smiles and glances at the question sheet* Well, that’s everything. *looks back up at Griffyn* Thank you for your time.